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Top prep fields leave lasting marks at Armory Track Invitational

Published by
DyeStat.com   Jan 31st 2015, 1:17pm
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14 events, 10 US#1s at Armory Track Inv.

 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The invitational aspect of the high school/junior events at The Armory Track Invitational -- previously the Armory Collegiate Invitational -- make it one of the premier events in the country. 

 

There are only seven events apiece for boys and girls but the fields assembled resemble New Balance Nationals and produce results that reshape the national lists. Out of 14 high school events contested, nine of them produced US#1s and another one tied the nation-leading mark.

 

Sydney McLaughlin's prodigious talent continued to pour forth with a huge personal best 37.49 in the 300 meters. Only Olympian Francena McCorory has ever run faster and McLaughlin beat the sophomore class record. In a field that included NBNO 400 meters champion Zola Golden, Arianne Strunkey and Anna Jefferson, McLaughlin used a mid-race burst to separate herself from the field. 

 

Not to be outdone, Rai Benjamin of Mt. Vernon likewise ran the second-fastest 300 meters of all time with 33.17 -- just off Michael Cherry's 33.05 national record. Benjamin beat a field that included Michigan commit Taylor McLaughlin, Jaron Flournoy (US#1 in the 400) and Anton Porter

 

In one of the best races of the entire meet -- which included college and pro action -- Sarah Walker made a dramatic comeback bid to win the girls 600 in 1:32.30. She beat Emma Gallagher of Benjamin Cardozo by .08 seconds. 

 

Speaking of dramatic, Nikki Kirkpatrick's anchor leg for Benjamin Cardozo in the 4x800 relay deserves some mention. She was overtaken by Motor City (Oak Park MI) with 150 to go and appeared to be done. But she summoned something in reserve and reclaimed the lead in the final 70 and managed to get to the line first -- in US#1 9:11.38. 

 

Another sensational sophomore was Sammy Watson from Rush  Henrietta NY, who broke Mary Cain's national class record in the 1,000 with 2:47.47.

 

Perhaps the deepest high school race was the boys 1,000, which featured a half dozen likely contenders for the win. James Burke from Port Jefferson NY established himself as the dominant 1K guy in the nation with a big win that tied his US#1 time of 2:26.75 and he beat Sam Ritz, PJ Garmon, Mike Brannigan, Jeremy Spiezio, Conor Lundy, James Asselmeyer and Foot Locker finalists Andrew Hunter and Benito Muniz.

 

-FRIDAY-

There were just four HS/junior events held Friday at the Armory Track Invitational in New York, but all four shaped the national leaader board.  

The Benjamin Cardozo NY girls got separation from Motor City TC (Oak Park MI) in the 4x400 and ran 3:43.81 for the fastest time in the U.S. in two years (since Columbia NJ in 2013). It was also the third-fastest New York performance of all-time and 16th overall.  

The race produced the top five times in the country. Motor City/Oak PArk ran US#2 3:44.62 -- fastest ever for a Michigan team indoors. Western Branch U#3 3:45.06 and Union Catholic US#4 3:49.62 were also outstanding. Sydney McLaughlin, UC's superstar sophomore, split 53.7 on her anchor leg. 

In an equally loaded boys 4x400, Cheltenham PA showed that it could be this year's version of the recent Union Catholic NJ teams that were so dominant in 2013 and 2014. Cheltenham used superior depth to pull away and win in US#1 3:18.41. These guys already own US#1 in the SMR and will try to win the 4x200 today at The Armory. 

Well back of Cheltenham, Izaiah Brown of Amsterdam NY and Taylor McLaughlin of Union Catholic NJ, both closed on the field with monster splits. Brown took the baton just a moment before McLaughlin and the two of them ran a stride apart for two laps, Brown splitting 46.27 and McLaughlin 46.53 (FAT).  

Western Branch finished second in US#2 3:20.59, Amsterdam was third in 3:20.66 and Union Catholic was fourth in 3:20.92.  

The Brown-McLaughlin showdown was a preview of today's blockbuster 300 meters that will include both of them, plus Rai Benjamin of Mt. Vernon NY and Anton Porter of Mt. St. Michael NY. 

Sammy Watson of Rush Henrietta turend in a breakthough performance in the girls 1,000 meters, clocking No. 7 all-time 2:47.47. It was also a sophomore class recording, eclipsing a Mary Cain mark. Ersula Farrow of Oak Park MI was second in US#2 2:48.39, Kamrn McIntosh of Suffern, another sophomore, was timed in US#3 2:49.96. Fourth place went to Iowan Kaley Ciluffo (2:50.99) and fifth was freshman Gabrielle Wilkinson of Friends Central PA in 2:51.21. 

In the boys race, which featured a half dozen contenders for the win, it was James Burke of Port Jefferson NY pulling away to match his US#1 with 2:26.75. An additional eight guys were within three seconds of Burke -- including Sam Ritz PA (US#2 2:27.28), PJ Garmon MA (US#3 2:27.45), James Asselmeyer NY (US#4 2:27.58) and Jeremy Spiezio (US#5 2:27.76). 

 



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